Is it acceptable for paramilitary or dissident organisations to be around nearly 30 years after the GFA? No.

Are there people who use these organisations to conduct criminality and coercion in their own communities? Yes.

Should this happen? No.

These are solid agreed starting points but the process of bringing those organisations to a close, and addressing the conditions and circumstances they use and benefit from, is a more complicated reality entirely.

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Some talk with confidence about public money being used to pay paramilitary leaders who are involved in ‘community development’, although they seem less confident when it comes to providing detail and evidence about this.

Some also pertain to speak for victims of paramilitary coercion in loyalist communities, yet appear to know very few victims and rarely venture into the areas where this takes place.

That said it is completely understandable that victims of loyalist paramilitarism would want organisations ended and those who perpetuate crimes brought to justice. It is also clear that this must remain a priority.

Perhaps because of this we can agree that the voice of victims must not only be heard but also made integral to a process of change.

Yet even though good work is being undertaken by some former loyalist combatants and important community initiatives have been in place to help develop training and employment opportunities for........

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